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johnfen1.bsky.social

@johnfen1.bsky.social
302 followers 205 following 362 posts

Countryside Ranger in Rural Access and Urban Green Space. Gardening for Wildlife. Botany, Trees and Hedge Laying

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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
A solitary Mouse-ear hawkweed flower amongst some local Lincolnshire limestone coversand. #Wildflowerhour
A pale lemon flower atop a rosette of downy leaves with an emergent closed flowerbud. Against a backdrop of sparsely vegetated dune like landscape with scattered scrub
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
We are the Campions. Red and White that is. #WildflowerHour
Red and White Campion flowers against a backdrop of dried vegetation stems.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Holly Blue making the most of a warm pile of cut grass thatch
A powder blue butterfly with black markings on the underwing. A dark border edge of one of the upper wings is visible. It is perched on a pile of previously cut decaying grass thatch
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The Bigger Picture. #FungiFriday #FungiFriends
A week on from last weeks post. The same blushing red coloured Beefsteak Fungus at the foot of a Pedunculate Oak tree.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
In the best possible light. The intricacy of Common Ivy flowers #WildflowerHour
A sunlit sphere of yellow/green anthers attached to individual flowers of Common Ivy. Above two yet to flower umbels below right and glossy green veined leaves in the background
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Blushing red, the centre of attention. Beefsteak Fungus at the foot of the Pedunculate Oak tree. #FungiFriday #FungiFriends
Beefsteak Fungus. A blushed red coloured bracket fungus emerging from the creviced bark of a Pedunculate Oak tree.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
A formidable multi-stemmed Small-Leaved Lime, Skellingthorpe Old Wood, Lincolnshire #ThickTrunkTuesday
A multi-stemmed Small-Leaved Lime against a backdrop of coppiced Hazel, Oak and Silver Birch. The Lime itself standing in Ancient Woodland may have been coppiced in the distant past.
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Lin Hawthorne @haggewoods.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Should you wish to indulge your love of beetles (and why wouldn’t you) this brilliant and scholarly website will certainly help. It’s a work of art by a human. www.rosspiper.net/2020/01/10/s...
rosspiper.net
Saproxylic beetles - Dr. Ross Piper
This is an intro and visual guide to the extraordinary diversity of beetle species associated with dead and decaying wood in the UK. Numbering some 650 species, this habitat supports the greatest dive...
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Lincolnshire Sky Far and Wide
Looking into the distance over a harrowed stubble field in Lincolnshire. I was walking across it under the large cloud formation to reach a footbridge on the far side. Part of a 6 mile amble with a rucksack of hand tools checking the condition of way marking, bridges and stiles along the way.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
A Pedunculate Oak overlooking a stretch of the Car Dyke in Lincolnshire. The dyke is thought to be of Roman origin and in its current varied states passes between Lincoln and Peterborough. #ThickTrunkTuesday
The formidable trunk of a Pedunculate Oak tree surrounded by Stinging Nettle, Bramble and a patch of going to seed Hedge Woundwort at the foot of it. Behind it lies the Car Dyke in Lincolnshire farmland.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Redshank carpeting an agricultural hard standing #WildflowerHour
A swathe of reddish pink Redshank emerging from a concrete pad in Lincolnshire CountrysideNK. Against a backdrop of hedgerow and sky
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Elder Dripping Jewels. #WildflowerHour #Fruits
Red veinous stems draped with black-purple berries and dripping raindrops against a green leaf background.
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Reposted by @johnfen1.bsky.social
Wandering Green @wanderingreen.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
This time of year, these guys are having a hard time and in turn giving us a hard time! Their queen has left and they're at a loose end. Now they're out for themselves as their days are numbered. Sweet sticky treats are their goal and they're not afraid to fight you for it... #wasp #pollinators
A common wasp roosts for the night. Holding a stem, the yellow and black insect is in side profile as the background is a milky green soft focusless bokeh.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
A cluster of Fairy Inkcaps, #FungiFriends on #FungiFriday at the foot of the decaying Ash tree
A cluster of Fairy Inkcaps fungi in dappled sunlight underneath a canopy of Stinging Nettle. They appear to be emerging from the buttress root at the foot of a large decaying Ash tree.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
In the far distance I could see a golden yellow shape shape rapidly quartering and duelling above a Lincolnshire field. Being at the field edge behind my mower I was able to gradually track it within reach to a near corner. My first Clouded Yellow Butterfly followed by three others! #InsectThursday
A bright pale yellow butterfly nectaring an agricultural cover crop clover. The underwings are on show with a golden eyespot on the hind wing and a black spot on the forewing. It is known for its energetic rapid flight pattern. Clovers and Lucerne are amongst their caterpillar food plants
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Sadly the environmental benefits of local apple trees were far from the thoughts of whoever drove to a remote location to dump these apples in Lincolnshire countryside.
Decaying apples on a grassy bank leading down to a ditch in Lincolnshire countryside.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
But maybe more of the correctly spelt ones🙄
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Field Scabious with its back to the future #WildflowerHour #seedheads
A forward facing blue-lilac Field Scabious flower in the foreground. Behind it a Field Scabious flower atop a slender stem that is now in the early seedhead stage - green pincushion form exposing its seed hairs and sepals.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
As suspected there are going to be a lot of Teasle #seedheads on #WildflowerHour tonight
A bed of Teasels left for autumn and winter on an urban nature reserve. The seedheads are a great winter food source for Goldfinches. All parts of the plant providing nooks and crannies for insects. Common Ragwort seedheads can be seen in the bottom right hand corner.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
I was not the only one homing in on the Coreopsis UpTick “Yellow and Red” on the garden centre clearance shelf
A Buff-tailed Bumblebee homing in on a pale yellow and red Coreopsis flower. This was amongst a number of sorry looking plants on the garden centre clearance shelf that just needed a bit of tidying up and dead heading. A number of bees followed the plant as I was wheeling it around on a wobbly wheeled trolley.
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David Misstear @dmisstear.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
"I took shelter from a shower..." Painted lady in a gorse bush, Sorrento Park, Co. Dublin.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Berry Cherry Limeade. A ready to litter pick cocktail of plastic, glass, leather and metal. I managed to edge my way around the other side of the pond this afternoon to clear the remainder of the remnant litter before it is submerged again.
A black bin bag of mud covered litter recovered from the bed of a dried out but now slowly recovering urban nature reserve pond. The litter included a light fitting, shoe, plastic and glass bottles. Including Biggies Buzzball of Berry Cherry Limeade.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
The plastic life beneath. A litter pick this morning sifting through the remnant silty mud of a dried out urban local nature reserve pond. Most of it plastic. Even whilst at its lowest ebb litter is still casually being thrown in. The McDonalds cup is dated 23 August 26
In the foreground small pile of once submerged litter most of it plastic, picked out from the remnant silt of a dried out pond. Some of it more recent including a McDonalds cup dated 23 August 2026.Typical litter finds in the pond silt. Remains of a plastic food container and a Sol beer bottleLooking across the pond bed. The first time it has dried out to this extent.
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British Dragonfly Society @britishdragonflies.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
🔍 Species Spotlight: Willow Emerald Damselfly First recorded breeding in Britain in 2009, this species has spread rapidly ever since. Look for its metallic green body and unusual habit of perching with its wings held outstretched! Flying now into autumn, so keep an eye out. 📸
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Common sea-lavender and Glasswort on the saltmarsh edge. Frampton Marsh, Lincolnshire. #WildflowerHour
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
From the heart. Teasel loving the view across the saltmarsh. Frampton Marsh, Lincolnshire. #WildflowerHour
A dessicated Teasel stem with two seedheads high upon a bank overlooking a salt marsh landscape. The lower leaves have curled in on themselves to create a heart shape.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
A Lesser Stag Beetle making its way across a log pile for #InsectThursday
A male Lesser Stag Beetle amongst the flaking bark and moss of a decaying Poplar tree log stacked in a small log pile in a wooded area on an urban nature reserve
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
After a fair bit of rain in South Lincolnshire last night, the snails are back and the garden pond and litter bin lagoon topped up. But before it recovers a local authority contractor is already mowing the surrounding areas of damp parched amenity grass!
A Brown-lipped Snail making its way across damp parched grass in a suburban garden area managed for wildlife.A Brown-lipped Snail in the foreground of a small 250 ltr pre-formed pond surrounded by deadwood and vegetatation. The water level is not at its full capacity but now lapping at the inner lower lip. Floating plants include Frogbit and Pygmaea alba dwarf water Lily. Emergent spikes of Hippuris vulgaris with submerged Hornwort beneath. A mall Corkscrew Rush to the leftA fully topped up “Litter Bin Lagoon” surrounded by gravel, deadwood, garden plants and shrubs. including in within a garden border. A litter bin base recovered from a local pond thoroughly cleaned up and sunk into the ground. Planted up with Hornwort, Frogbit, Dwarf Spearwort, Iris versicola, Water-forget-me-not and Pontederia  cordata. Its weedy nature is particularly attractive to Wrens and Robins that pick through the Frogbit leaf pads.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
I have never really mastered the Binomial System of Nomenclature introduced by the Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus. But here he is, seen during a recent visit to Sweden overlooking Humlegårdens Parklek, Stockholm. His system underpinning todays #CommonNames of wildflowers posted on #WildflowerHour
A statue of Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) Swedish professor scientist and doctor that introduced the binomial system of nomenclature classifying and naming animals and plants from his travels throughout Sweden. Creating an inventory whilst recording and collecting information on its natural resources.
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Tree Side @treeside.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
If I were a tree -
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
A Ruddy Darter Dragonfly for #InsectThursday
A bright red Ruddy Darter dragonfly perched on a parched stem against the backdrop of a slow moving urban river with abundant emergent vegetation.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
To be fair looking at the Eclipse projected onto the garden umbrella through a metal colander was not as impressive as the garden “Hot Lips”Salvia visited by a Humming-bird-Hawk-moth earlier on.
The shadow of a colander held up by one hand and a smartphone by the other reflected onto the canopy of a garden umbrella. With a bit of imagination multiple projected images of the eclipse can be seen to the right.“Hot Lips” A popular variety of Salvia attractive to Humming-bird-Hawk-moths and other pollinators.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
A butterfly that I might quite ordinarily see at home in the UK but as yet have not knowingly seen one. A Wall butterfly perched on Umbellate Hawkweed against the backdrop of the Baltic Sea. Grinda Island, Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden #WildWebsWednesday
A Wall butterfly perched on the yellow flowers of Umbellate Hawkweed against the backdrop of the Baltic Sea 4 August 2026
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Still no rainwater to be found in the fused watertight leaf “bowls” around the stems. Tough drought resistant Wild Teasel flowering on #WildflowerHour
Formidably spiney egg shaped Wild Teasel flowerheads. Individual florets are opening around each one. The tough large leaves form a bowl around the stem that (when it does rain) collect and store water.
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The Bee Guy @thebeeguy.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Mornin’ folks. Notice #bumblebees asleep on #flowers recently? Want to know what’s going on with them? Well here’s a quick (long)🙄 thread explaining the bumblebee flower-sleeping phenomenon. Please #repost / #share so more people are more informed. Thank you. #bees #nature #education 1/16
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Great Willowherb, Purple Loosestrife, Reed Canary Grass and Hemp Agrimony. #WetlandPlants softening the edge of an urban Local Nature Reserve boardwalk. #WildflowerHour
A wooden boardwalk passing through tall herb vegetation. In the background a derelict local authority building, trees and bramble scrub. The boardwalk was part of a project that I was involved in back in 2023 enhancing access along the edge of an urban nature reserve pond.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
This Hornet Hoverfly a large mimic species buzzed down low to settle on Frogbit for a drink in my garden pond. For scale the kidney shaped Frogbit leaves are at least 20mm across. #InsectThursday
A gingery yellow, black and chestnut Hornet Hoverfly with brown tinged wings settled on Frogbit leaves - an aquatic floating plant amongst oxygenated algae in a small pond
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
“What’s not to Love?” Quite clearly littering Greggs customers that do not love their environment.
A littered Greggs Pizza or Bakes and paper bag on an urban green space. The box has the catch line “What’s not to Love” on it. An easily accessible litter bin is available on site.
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🇨🇦JOY 🇨🇦 @joycomes.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Eurasian Skylark, 16-18cm songbird Europe, Asia and N America NZ, Australia, Hawaii, Vancouver Island brought here in 1900! forage on insects in summer, seeds, grains in winter You will hear them before you see them!
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wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
The theme for this week’s #wildflowerhour challenge is wetland plants. So have a mosey in your local marsh, mire, bog, fen and see what you can find! Share your pics this Sunday 8-9pm using #wetlandplants #InternationalBogDay2026
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WATERSHED Investigations @watershed-i.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
42% of UK garden space has been paved over & that's building urban heat, robbing wildlife of homes + surging runoff into drains, increasing flood risk + sewage discharge. De-pave Your Garden says even just using planting strips on your drive can make a huge difference. share.google/Dkb3FOi35hqp...
share.google
How the trend for turning front gardens into driveways is adding to night-time heat
There’s a growing trend to pave over front gardens.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
After clearing a good swathe of Great Willowherb earlier on in the year Common Fleabane, Common Ragwort, Spear Thistle and Hemp Agrimony now have the chance to find themselves #StillFlowering on an otherwise parched Lincolnshire urban nature reserve #WildflowerHour
A swathe of yellow flowering Common Fleabane and Ragwort in the foreground  merging with crimson flower head specks of Spear Thistle and taller whitish pink Hemp Agrimony. Great Willowherb and Willow species trees in the background
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Still no rain on the horizon in Lincolnshire for #StillFlowering Common Ragwort amongst the sun scorched grass and leaves on urban green space #WildflowerHour
Yellow flowering Common Ragwort amongst sun scorched grass and leaves against a background of other tall vegetation and trees underneath a heavy sky.
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Carol Kubicki @carolkubicki.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Prepare to be amazed! I'm sure none of my followers throw litter in the sea or on the ground but plenty of people do and that litter can be transport for some creatures. #litter www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2026/07/this...
anthropocenemagazine.org
This tiny bottle cap traveled 1,500 kilometers. It had 307 hitchhikers aboard.
Scientists cracked the case of a single plastic cap using isotope chemistry and ocean current models, revealing how trash is turning into rafts for invasive species.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
A Long Hoverfly with a longish Latin name. Sphaerophoria scripta, feeding on Wood Avens, Geum urbanum in the garden. #WildWebsWednesday
A slender shaped black/brown/yellow Long Hoverfly perched on a yellow Wood Avens flower against a backdrop of blurred green foliage.
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
I don’t get to see much heathland in lowland Lincolnshire so it was great to see some Bell Heather in flower during a visit to North Yorkshire this weekend #WildflowerHour
Bellflower Heather against a backdrop of Common Heather, scattered Birch and Bracken, drystone walling and blue sky
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Oh, no #AquaticPlants to be found on this North Yorkshire stretch of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal but this partially submerged Oxeye Daisy is keeping its head well above the tree reflected canopies in the water surrounding it. #WildflowerHour
A partially overhanging Oxeye Daisy partially submerged in a reflection of tree canopies on a canal water surface
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Powder blue and ink dot smudge. The underwings of Holly Blue on show whilst nectaring the white form of Valerian in the garden. #InsectThursday
A small powder blue coloured butterfly with black dots on its underwings. Holly Blue butterfly on the white flowers of Valerian.
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Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) @bsbibotany.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
A lovely selection of your gorgeous plant photos for tonight's #WildFlowerHour! Can we encourage you to enter your best photos into our Botanical Photographer of the Year competition? Categories, how to enter, past winners etc. are here: bsbi.org/take-part/ac... Check out 👇our 16 fabulous judges!
bsbi.org
Botanical Photographer of the Year
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johnfen1.bsky.social @johnfen1.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Having looked at this first and foremost through a phone lens, all I can offer is pointy sepals. No hairs and no black dots and if present blurry stem wings so hopefully Square-stalked St John’s wort. #WildflowerID #WildflowerHour
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